


Days Like Cats

by Etnoe



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Community: springkink, Companionship, Cuddling, Family, Friends to Lovers, Home, M/M, Sexual Tension, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 01:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6175702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etnoe/pseuds/Etnoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gokudera accidentally-on-purpose moves in with the Sawadas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Days Like Cats

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt from [Spring Kinkfest](http://springkink.livejournal.com): Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Gokudera/Tsuna: companionship - there is a place where the sidewalk ends/and before the street begins
> 
> I am plagued by the question of Gokudera's mostly unremarked-on living situation, so here's one way I like to think about it.

* * *

 

"Oh, you are so sweet!"

Gokudera and Tsuna turned towards the voice. Tsuna's mother stood to the side of the couch, hands clasped as she looked at them.

Then they looked at each other: Lambo was sprawled asleep on Tsuna's lap so that Tsuna sat with his legs wide, the blankets were a shared tangle around both of them, and there was a gap at one corner of the couch that Yamamoto had left when the second movie ended and he went home. Gokudera and Tsuna, getting into movie number three, had sat all evening with legs pressed together and elbowing each other accidentally, forgetting about the extra space available to the side.

Gokudera hopped onto the armrest, going red, _caught out_ though there was no good reason to feel that way. "Mom!" Tsuna whined, shrinking back.

"You look like you're hibernating for the winter!" Nana grinned. "I came to say dinner's ready."

"Ah! Then I'll go!" Gokudera scrambled to his feet, tripping on blankets. "Goodbye—"

"What?" said three voices, one surprised (Tsuna), one impatient (Bianchi, half-turning towards them where she lounged at the kotatsu), and one heartbroken: "The snow's really coming down, Gokudera-kun!" Nana cried. "This is no weather to walk in. Futa's already finished preparing the guest bedroom. You absolutely have to stay!" Her wide eyes beamed pure worry.

Gokudera backed away. "Uh, I, school night!"

"That doesn't matter! You can borrow one of Tsuna's uniforms, or you two can go by your place early tomorrow."

"Weren't you staying?" Tsuna said. "I thought you were."

"Maman is an excellent cook," Bianchi said, and turned back around with an air like that settled all questions. "Stay for supper. Haven't you usually finished your instant noodles by this time of the week?"

"Quit going through my receipts!" Gokudera yelled at the back of her head, relieved for something to glare at.

"It's a good avenue to explore for getting information," Reborn said from where he lay beside Bianchi. "Last week Tsuna and I went over a selection of Disciplinary Committee bills. Even he said it was educational. "

"I said it was _more than I should ever know_ —"

"Then it's settled!" Nana beamed at Gokudera. "Your room is opposite Tsuna's. Time to eat, everyone! Wake Lambo up gently..."

Gokudera looked around, slightly bewildered, but then Bianchi started getting up. Before she could turn he ran into the kitchen, sat down, and stared at his plate throughout dinner. The Tenth nudged him to check if he was all right, and he gave a surreptitious thumbs-up. Tsuna's mother pushed dishes close to him and he piled his plate with more food than he could eat. Technically it went against polite conduct, but all signs indicated she couldn't be happier about it - and he sat there, in the middle of a welcome he hadn't even wanted.

He should have expected it nonetheless, but he kept thinking in renewed shock and pleasure: None of the older guardians had stayed the night at the Tenth's before. His face was hot for a full quarter-hour.

By the time they made it to bed the confusion of the suddenness had faded. Gokudera couldn't feel like he was imposing, too warm and full, overwhelmingly grateful and unsatisfied.

It had been simpler to sit around and stay late without realising. Getting an invitation made it feel like there was any number of things to want.

The stupid dissatisfaction eased as Tsuna tossed clothes at him, picking what was stretched-out so that it had a chance of fitting. "It's pretty cold," Tsuna muttered, bent over a drawer, "just say something if I should turn up the heat..." He trailed off, then straightened up.

"Gokudera-kun, sorry about how I assumed you were staying. You hadn't mentioned anything like that, and it's not like you've ever asked before, and ... when Mom said it, it sounded kind of like ... an order..."

"That doesn't matter!" With most adults it would, but in this house, it was a special case above all others.

Tsuna shook his head. "It wasn't like that." He looked worried. He'd worry even when Gokudera wanted him to give orders, and even though he was getting used to doing it. Even about wanting Gokudera right here, without thinking about it.

"I know she wouldn't mean it that way - and I appreciate your intentions, both of you. Tenth, assume! Please! _Thank_ you!"

"Okay, okay, stop bowing!"

After they picked up the clothes that had flown everywhere they said goodnight, and Tsuna shut his bedroom door.

Gokudera's spine went rigid.

Dissatisfied, grateful, and the click of the door behind him such a private sound that it was more than he could take. He squeezed the pile of clothes with their laundered smell, like Tsuna on early walks to school, and leaned against the hallway wall a second. How could he show it was all right? Thank you. Please. _Tenth_...

 

*

 

"Ma'am, Tenth - I request permission to stay for dinner!"  
  
Tsuna's forehead furrowed and he leaned close, saying in an undertone, "You don't have to—" and then his mother swept him into a loving headlock like the open-hearted, affectionate person she was.  
  
"I was hoping to hear that," said Nana, "I even set your place at the table! Stop being silly, Tsu-kun, and go call your good friend's sister for dinner too, hmm?" She kissed him on the cheek and let him go. " _Mom_ ," he said, because embarrassment had finally robbed him of the ability to scream.  
  
Gokudera belatedly put his hands over his eyes to spare Tsuna's feelings. "It's really okay!" he said in an attempt at cheering him up. "I'd be happy to stay over too! I could even stay a whole week!"  
  
"Wonderful! Tsuna, check the guest room is still set up nicely while you're upstairs!"  
  
This was technically the contingency plan. He'd been supposed to say one night, adding more if Tsuna kept looking uncertain - but he had enough clothes in his schoolbag, and it would look bad now to take the suggestion back...  
  
Somewhere along the way he suspected that the Tenth would figure out this wasn't only about showing that he didn't mind getting orders, but if the heads of the household liked having him in spite of the extra trouble, and he really liked staying over, surely it couldn't be much of a problem?  
  
It wasn't. Over the next few days ... no one else even noticed him. Well - there was a second glance from Reborn. Futa drew up more lists about the supernatural and discussed them with him, I-Pin shyly practiced her Japanese, Nana sneaked the names of favourite dishes out of him, Lambo annoyed him expo-fucking-nentially - but no one minded.  
  
Without an extra word they left him and Tsuna to claim customary spots on the couch and the back porch, and a corner seat at the kitchen table was his to squeeze into. Gokudera hadn't given thought to how everyone else would react to his plan. They made it seem like he'd lived there for years.  
  
He had to raise the topic himself, as he and Tsuna yawned over homework they'd put off in favour of video games, Tsuna on his bed and Gokudera sitting on the floor. "It's ... kinda weird, right?" he finished off his rambling, and stopped writing to listen to the response.  
  
"Yeah, definitely," Tsuna grumbled - he spoke a lot more freely when he was tired. Gokudera winced. Then relaxed as he continued: "But Mom really likes having people here, and everybody's used to it. It's a good thing there are a lot of guest rooms... And you've always been over a lot."  
  
He spoke slower too, saying things that it sounded like he'd thought over, and Gokudera paid extra attention. "I thought you'd get tired of all the noise and people by now. If you do, or if Mom babies you too much..."  
  
"I don't mind." Not even Lambo, or even Bianchi.  
  
"Okay," Tsuna said. "Um, aren't..." (Gokudera tensed.) "Are you ... doing maths?" (And sagged.)  
  
He lifted his notes up from his lap, the bed squeaking quietly as Tsuna shifted where he lay to look over Gokudera's shoulder. A lot more copying than explaining followed, since explanations tended to stop working for Tsuna after 22:30. Gokudera clicked his tongue. "Reborn-san should worry more about the Tenth's sleeping patterns than this stupid homework."  
  
Tsuna groaned in agreement, and then yawned. "But he'll kill me if we don't finish, so..." And then he asked, like he hadn't been able to before, "Aren't you cold?"  
  
He had to try to be sensible about it. "It's fine! The heat's turned up high enough!"  
  
"Still. It's freezing tonight." Gokudera peeked behind him to see Tsuna frowning. "Just..."  
  
It was also kind of weird, though Gokudera would never, ever say it, that Tsuna let him onto the bed and under the blankets. But it made perfect sense and so it wasn't really weird - it was a cold winter! Half the household lounged around sharing blankets! All of which the Tenth had pointed out the first time, most sensibly despite the flustered blush, when Gokudera had blurted out " _What?_ " in response to the offhand offer.  
  
Most importantly, Gokudera thought, Reborn strung up his hammock in Bianchi's room when they were late with homework, so there was no witness. It wasn't anything that required commenting on. This way they could simply talk more quietly and for longer, not disturbing anyone.  
  
None of the conversation had to do with Mafia business, lately, and he hoped Tsuna wouldn't notice. Or the fact that Gokudera preferred to put off homework until bedtime.  
  
He no longer blushed when settling on top of the duvet but under the comforter - because there was _nothing strange_ going on - but Tsuna still did, and now busied himself tidying the notes spread over the bed. That didn't mean he minded, though, because he'd extended the invitation nights in a row, and on Tuesday they'd worked side by side for nearly the entire homework session, shoulders brushing as they discussed the total ridiculousness of Ryohei attracting a woman (and that Kurokawa liked to act as if she had good sense!). It had been the first time Gokudera had fully realised that the Tenth was notably smaller than him, and how pyjamas made him look more so, and that he was easier to concentrate on than notes by several hundred percent.  
  
Gokudera got as far as pressing pen to paper and then said, "It's never been like this," because maybe he could. "All the noise, the people. It's better than anything before."  
  
It seemed to wake Tsuna up. He blinked his big brown eyes and then stared at Gokudera from the head of the bed, fidgeting. "You think so? Seriously?"  
  
Gokudera fought the urge to fidget too. "Well ... yeah, Tenth."  
  
"Oh," said Tsuna, and grinned broadly. "It's good to know someone else also thinks that way... It always feels like something that would be kinda ... sappy to say - but yeah."  
  
He got it. Of course he did, but Gokudera felt his stomach drop as if he hadn't expected it.  
  
"I'm glad you're not sick of it," Tsuna said. "It's easy to get annoyed by everybody, but - I get what you mean. And where Mom's coming from, I guess. It's great to have all this company all the time. I mean, I've never even had a sleepover before..." He stopped. Frowned.  
  
Awkward silence.  
  
"That ... makes me sound like a little kid, doesn't it?"  
  
"Nothing like that, Tenth," Gokudera said, trying to figure out a less embarrassing way for it to sound, but Tsuna groaned and rolled his eyes at himself. "I need sleep," he said, going red. "I just mean, having someone stay over for once ... it's nice."  
  
Someone. It might as well mean anyone.  
  
"It's really good to have you here."  
  
But that didn't mean anyone. Simple words, but they had weight, and Tsuna looked at him almost warily as if he needed to gauge that he'd been understood.  
  
" _I've_ never had a sleepover," Gokudera confessed, and grinned as it made Tsuna laugh.  
  
"Y-yeah, you don't seem like the type, Gokudera-kun! I guess we both need sleep." Tsuna looked at him - and it kind of felt like it went on a little too long - and then shifted over from the head of the bed to be closer. They were good friends, like Tsuna's mother had said, and it made no difference whether they sat apart or next to each other, except that the latter was far warmer. Much more comfortable.  
  
As usual, they worked and talked until both of them were nodding off. Once it reached that point Gokudera would leave to go to his room, quiet for the sake of the rest of the house, and feel electrified. During the few steps across the hall he'd have to stop to let most of the feeling pass. It never fully went away.  
  
Gokudera hadn't slept decently for a week, and couldn't care less.

 

*

 

The first kiss was on the back porch, hands barely warmed by mugs of cocoa, and Gokudera's cigarette stub glowing in the ashtray. Then Gokudera sat back and waited.  
  
"Fffah - ah - haah - did you watch that baseball game Yamamoto was talking about?" Tsuna said. "It must have been exciting! He was talking about it a lot!"  
  
Gokudera stared at him. He nodded, caught himself, and shook his head, opening his mouth to try and speak.  
  
"Really wish, I'd seen, for myse—"  
  
Gokudera had a hand up to clap him on the back, although unsure whether that was how you treated hyperventilation, but then Tsuna crouched over where he sat, face on his knees and cocoa held over his head like a shield. "You're really brave, Gokudera-kun," he said. "Oh. _Wow_."  
  
For the next couple of minutes, he was a fucking god.  
  
"It was only on the cheek," Gokudera demurred, sliding sideways to sit pressed against Tsuna. "And like you aren't, Tenth."  
  
"Am not. I started talking about baseball!" He sat up. Scared and red and his eyes bright in the dim light, leaning not a millimetre away even though they were close enough for their hair to be brushing, and the ice-cold air seared Gokudera's teeth as he sucked it in. "Sorry."  
  
Gokudera shook his head. He couldn't stop grinning.  
  
Tsuna put his mug down. "Sor-" He thought better of it, and kissed him. Cold noses, warm and milky mouths. A burst of noise in the kitchen behind them, Ryohei and Kyoko's voices on the subject of snacks.  
  
"I was fucking hoping so fucking much, Tenth," he said quietly, to be careful, "thought maybe it would be too much _finally_ but—"  
  
"Ssh, they're right here!"  
  
"And Sasagawa, Kyoko, you used to - but you never told her anything, so I... I should have asked first, but—"  
  
"Gokudera-kun, what if they..."  
  
He untangled his hands from Tsuna's hair, exhilaration rocketing past the event horizon to turn into terror. Tsuna shot up, turning to the window. "Thought it'd be okay. Knew you wouldn't ... hate me, I _knew_ it'd be okay, but if..." The two of them were already too close - it was a surprise whenever Gokudera thought about it, how easy it was to find out how comfortable it was, and he could have screwed it up for good.  
  
"Gokudera-kun." Whispered in his ear, Tsuna crouching beside him, arm around his shoulders. Too obvious, if anyone saw them.  
  
"We should ... go in," Gokudera said, breathing properly again.  
  
Tsuna nodded. But he stood still after Gokudera had got to his feet and they leaned into each other.  
  
Unbelievable.  
  
It was pretty easy to ignore that.

 

*

 

He almost made it out the door that time. Tsuna literally dragged him from between Haru and Ryohei, leaving them accidentally arguing with each other.  
  
"Huh?" said the three of them.  
  
"Uh - yeah, just have to ask about - bye, guys!" Tsuna said as the others looked back, and shut the door. He rounded on Gokudera. "You're not staying over?"  
  
The blush beat him back a few steps. "Tenth! I wouldn't!"  
  
"But you..." Tsuna stopped, looking around the foyer. "Mom's already cooked for all of us," he said in a mostly normal voice, and then hissed, "Weren't you staying?"  
  
"Not now that I've—! We've...! It would be too presumptuous!"  
  
"But I thought that's why you freaked out back there!"  
  
"No, that was... Being here overnight would be completely inappropriate now!"  
  
"Not _really_."  
  
He stared at Tsuna. Tsuna stared at the floor.  
  
"Do ... you..." A ridiculous question, but it wouldn't hurt when he knew the answer should be 'no', and _if it wasn't_... "Want me here? Still?"  
  
"I thought from the start that you were staying anyway," Tsuna muttered, and slumped with relief when Gokudera hugged him.

 

*

 

The Tenth moving against him, whole body unshy and purposeful, was almost more than he could take. Handful. Armful. Mouthful. Hopeful, helpful; Gokudera acted to himself like he was assisting Tsuna in getting ready for bed when unbuttoning his shirt, which meant he managed not to bolt, and Tsuna slid the rings off Gokudera's fingers and put them neatly on the bedside table.  
  
"Leave that," Gokudera breathed against his temple.  
  
"They catch in my hair. Sometimes," Tsuna said, pulled another off halfway, and maybe just because the hand was close to his mouth, he tilted his head and pressed an open kiss into Gokudera's palm. And then laughed like _Let's act as if I NEVER DID THAT, please!_  
  
Gokudera shook the ring free impatiently, put that palm against Tsuna's bare chest, and pushed slowly so that he would lie down. Tsuna let himself be pressed flat, chest rising and falling faster.  
  
How much had Tsuna assumed he'd need to think about doing, with Gokudera staying over? That thought made it impossible to think further, and some sound whined out from the base of Gokudera's throat. He put a fist to his mouth. The tinny sound of the television downstairs was loud through the locked door, and no one came to investigate.  
  
Tsuna became focused. The exploratory gripping and squirming ended with hands taking hold at the slight curve of hips and legs settling apart, around Gokudera's. They both leaned in and felt the same heat and hardness, knowing it without room for hiding. From a distance Gokudera watched Tsuna blush as his eyes fluttered shut, but he was going to get his brain back and get closer in a second.  
  
He did, too, finding out that Tsuna had thought far enough ahead not to get too nervous about undoing Gokudera's belt - maybe he didn't have to worry that much about the Tenth having a blind spot for planning after all, holy shit - and then "Tsuna," said I-Pin's high voice from the other side of the door. "Gokudera! Games!"  
  
"ARGH," Gokudera said, because even if he couldn't tell I-Pin to go die he did want to.  
  
"I-Pin!" Tsuna shrieked, and then tried to calm his voice. "Please, not now. Play on your own!"  
  
"Board games," she explained patiently, "Maman said."  
  
Footsteps boomed over and stopped at the door. "You're gunna _lose_ , No-Good Tsuna!" Lambo yelled.  
  
"Go die!" Gokudera managed, because the cow did deserve it. "Mom might come fetch us," Tsuna said, and in another panicked minute, they were downstairs.  
  
Before even stepping into the room Gokudera was dragged into Futa and I-Pin's team as they chirped gleefully about the trivia game, and they all sank onto cushions to start playing with a lot of cheering and cheating. He could've kind of resented Tsuna's mother, and the noise made him feel jumpy in his too-hot skin, until his legs brushed Tsuna's under the low table and he could barely bring himself to think, not even to sneak answers over.  
  
Regrettably the game ended with everyone going to bed at the same time, yawning. Nana told them with a wink, "No staying up late gossiping, you two!" and Gokudera died on the inside. It was as if she knew. _Everything_. And Reborn was smirking and as a general rule did know everything, but they weren't dead yet and that was the best seal of approval from that direction that Gokudera could ask for.  
  
In bed, he listened to the household preparing for sleep, and then to the creaks of the house and the wind blowing around it, the cars passing by. No wonder Bianchi liked to stay here, he thought, something which had run through his mind a lot the past few days. He felt like he ought to make a list of questions about her behaviour to ask the Tenth and ensure that she was properly grateful (and on guard for enemy incursions - but mostly grateful), and figure out a way to approach her if she didn't do well enough. But then again, maybe being here, part of them, was all that they wanted from her.  
  
The door creaked. "Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna barely said, peeking past the open crack. Gokudera shot up and gestured violently for him to enter.  
  
"Sorry, I—" Tsuna began, and then they kissed, "was waiting, thought you - might be coming to my roo - never mind, never mind."  
  
Tsuna really did think he was a lot braver than he was. That didn't even matter, not with Tsuna's weight on him - and though he was in a house with people who so often provided proof to the contrary, it felt like nothing was louder than the blood pounding in his ears and the things they whispered to each other.

 

*

 

"What do you pay rent for, anyway?" said Reborn, and Gokudera took his cue and went home.  
  
Tsuna and Yamamoto had after-school classes, and when that was done they'd planned to meet up with Haru, Kyoko and Hana to act sweet in front of Yamamoto's old man for discount sushi, which was altogether more good cheer than he required in a day.  
  
He made it back to his apartment building in no time, which felt weird. It seemed like it should be further away, even though he always made sure to get a place within walking distance of the Tenth's house. A neighbour looked surprised to see him, and they exchanged nods of greeting.  
  
He looked around his flat when he stepped in. Stale from being shut up so long and still messy from the move, even though that had been two months ago. Quiet, and he let out a long breath. He cracked open a few windows, then fell onto the sleeper couch and sacked out.  
  
After a while he rooted through his bag with one hand, not looking, and dug out his cellphone. He'd have to tell Tsuna he was back here.  
  
Instead he looked around his flat again. He got up and tugged and prodded at bedclothes until the bed was basically made, and studied the unfamiliar effect. He tossed clothes into the wardrobe, swept armbands and rings from the top of his nightstand and stuffed them inside it.  
  
His flat was pretty much a pit. Nothing like the Sawada house. One of the many good reasons he didn't let the others see his place. Whatever flat he was occupying - it was always pretty much somewhere to bolt to, to feel stupid in and check on healing injuries without fuss, to practice soundproofing rooms for very mild dynamite practice. It would be a good back-up place if the guardians needed to regroup somewhere that wouldn't be too familiar to enemies, which was why it was important to move every so often. Mostly, it was quiet. None of the noise and friction that had become everyday while at school and hanging out afterwards.  
  
Only two people ever visited - Bianchi because she was a) at least 35% demonic and possessed the ability to track him via his aura or the scent of his blood or something and b) always checking on him even though he was perfectly capable of looking after himself, damn it; and Shamal because those mosquitoes sniffed Gokudera out whenever the old lech pissed off another landlady. Sad excuse for a family. Always had been.  
  
And now he kind of wanted to throw a housewarming party.  
  
Wouldn't it only be polite? The Tenth's mother deserved a response to her generosity, and if he dropped one word about it near Haru she'd drag Kyoko and maybe Chrome into helping with decorations, which would be an adequate team to start with, and Yamamoto could bring sushi because wild horses wouldn't be able to stop him, even though Gokudera knew excellent takeaway places that offered catering services... He could move to a bigger place first so there would definitely be space for everyone! Or rent somewhere for the occasion!  
  
Or maybe just get extra blankets. A gaming system and games that the Tenth didn't have at home.  
  
They could hang out and Tsuna could heave that tired sigh, like when they'd ditched the kids and gone out to the porch. Tsuna got that too, the need for quietness. If Gokudera played music Tsuna would probably like it even if it was nothing like the 'abstract' style piano playing, and he wouldn't ever ask about where the money for this place came from - at least not more than once, he was good at picking up on things like that - and they'd have Gokudera's books, much better than the school-prescribed ones, at hand when doing homework.  
  
It was the same as staying at the Sawadas': Something he could have done a long time ago. Hell, he could move in with the Sawadas and dodge the issue of this place and inviting anyone to it. Maybe that was the right thing to do.  
  
But even if he'd kept this bit of him apart from his dedication to the Vongola ... nobody ever asked about it. None of them doubted him for this near-secret, and just let it be his multiple-use sad excuse.  
  
Gokudera felt that surge of protectiveness that he got, these days, when he thought of his place in the world. He didn't think he'd give up this flat, or the next one on the rotation. It wasn't much but that didn't matter - it was his. And he could get his blankets cleaned and tumble dried quickly enough, and the sleeper couch wasn't that lumpy. (The bed wasn't lumpy at all!) It gave him an address he could send to Tsuna's cellphone in an offer that meant: _come home with me_.  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
The amazing [Semehere](http://semehere.tumblr.com/) did beautiful art of [the porch scene](http://finaglingming.tumblr.com/post/147303779995/semehere-the-first-kiss-was-on-the-back) at my request. Please do take a look, it's so lovely.


End file.
